1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a locking type ejection lever for use in a card edge connector, and particularly to an improvement in such a locking type ejection lever which facilitates disconnection and removal of a plate-like object such as a printed board from an associated connector.
2. Description of Prior Art
Plate-like objects, which can be mated together by associated card edge connectors, have been widely used. Such a card edge connector comprises a male plug structure integrally connected to a housing of a plate-like object such as a printed board, and a female receptacle structure integrally connected to another plate-like object. The male plug structure and female receptacle structure, when mated with each other, can make electrical connections between all conductors of these plate-like objects, and at the same time, the male plug structure and female receptacle structure can be locked together.
The locking structure is composed of opposite longitudinal extensions of the housing each having a longitudinal guide slot, and latch arms each rotatably fixed to the end of each longitudinal extension.
The opposite sides of the printed board are inserted in the longitudinal slots of the opposite longitudinal extensions of the housing until the printed board has been completely fitted in the housing. Thereafter the latch arms are resiliently rotated so that they are caught by the holes which are formed in the surface on opposite sides of the lateral edges of the printed board.
This prior art latching structure has been used for a long time, and is found satisfactory. It, however, has the disadvantage of not being able to eject a printed board without requiring many steps to remove the previously locked printed board. In unlatching and removing a printed board from a housing equipped with a prior art card edge connector, first, one latch arm is turned outward to move its tip out of engagement with a lock hole which is made in one corner of the lateral edge of the printed board, and then the printed board is partially pulled up. Second, the other latch arm is turned outward to move its tip out of engagement with a lock hole which is made in the other corner of the lateral edge of the printed board, and then the printed board is also partially pulled up. Thus, the forward lateral edge of the printed board is partially pulled up from the housing while the opposite lock arms turn outward. Then, the printed board is completely pulled out from the housing. The complete removal requires several steps of action.